Starodub (, ; , ; ) is a town in Bryansk Oblast, Russia, on the Babinets River in the Dnieper basin, southwest of Bryansk. Population: 16,000 (1975).
History
left|thumb|Siege of Starodub in 1535 by Polish-Lithuanian forces
Starodub has been known since the 11th century, when it was a part of the Principality of Chernigov. During the Smolensk War, in 1632, it was captured by Russia, however, it was restored to the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1634. within the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, after which Khmelnytskyi's Cossacks staged an anti-Jewish pogrom. In 1654, it passed to Russia, confirmed in 1686. In 1918, the town was occupied by the Germans and the town was part of the Ukrainian People's Republic. The Soviet authority was instated in November 1918.
thumb|Statue of a cow in front of the Starodub cheese factory
During the Soviet period, Starodub was a part of Gomel Governorate (1919–1926), Bryansk Governorate (1926–1929), Western Oblast (1929–1937), and Oryol Oblast (1937–1944). The town was once again occupied by the Germans between August 18, 1941 and September 22, 1943. The Germans operated a Nazi prison and a forced labour battalion for Jews in the town. Starodub finally became a part of Bryansk Oblast in 1944.
Administrative and municipal status
Within the framework of administrative divisions, Starodub serves as the administrative center of Starodubsky District, even though it is not a part of it. As an administrative division, it is incorporated separately as Starodubsky Urban Administrative Okrug—an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the districts.